Joseph (Bosakov) of America and Australia

Metropolitan Joseph (Bosakov)diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia.
Name at birth Ivan Blagoev, was born on December 6, 1942 in the village of Slavovitsa, Pazardzhik, Bulgaria.

Biography

From 1956 to 1961 - a student of Sofia Seminary. In 1970 he graduated from the Sofia Ecclesiastical Academy .

April 12, 1970 in Troyan Monastery Metropolitan Lovchanski Maxim (Patriarch of Bulgaria) became a monk with the name Joseph in honor of the righteous Joseph of Arimathea . May 3 of that year, the Metropolitan Lovchanskim Maxim has ordained as hierodeacon. On December 27 was ordained to the rank of a priest.

On July 21, 1973, after defending his doctoral thesis with the blessing of the Patriarch of the Bulgarian Maxim was elevated by Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Pimen to the rank of a archimadrid .

On his return to Bulgaria was again appointed Protosingel at Diocese of Sofia .

December 7, 1980 was consecrated to a rank of bishop and appointed second vicar of Velichskogo of the Diocese of Sofia.

On March 24, 1981 - Superior at Troyan Monastery .

April 1, 1983 appointed head of Akronskoy Diocese and April 17, 1986 approved as its Metropolitan.

On December 19, 1989 the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church merged the New York and Akronskoy diocese American and Australian Bulgarian diocese. Since then Metropolitan Joseph was its Metropolitan with seat in New York.

Published in the Bulgarian church periodical series number of articles on Church Public Affairs.

On February 15, 2013 at the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the purpose of which was to determine the three candidates for the patriarchal throne, was appointed Chairman of the Central Commission.

At the end of February 2013 filed a petition for retirement. Metropolitan Joseph notified that he has prepared a candidate for a place and wants to return to live permanently in Bulgaria.